Apparatus for treating wood with ozone



. Nov. 27, 1928. 1,693,486

1 G. LYON APPARATUS FOR TREATING woolrwnn ozpus Filed 16.1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M 8 RI Patented Nov. 27,, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE,

GUSTAVE LYON, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING WOOD WITH OZONE.

Application filed January 16, 1923, Serial No. 613,068, and in France January 2'7,v 1922.

The present invention relates to apparatus specially designed for efi'ectiilg the drying and seasoning of wood with ozone.

The course to be followed in this process 5 consists in subjecting pieces of wood or the like material in a closed vesselcalled cell to successive treatments recalling natural processes, and varying according to the characteristic and nature of the material to be seasoned, but arranged according to a well defined time cycle and recurring automatically. Two methods of application will be described, in one of which the work is done at a pressure slightly lower than that of the atmosphere, and in the other at a pressure slightly higher. a

For the better comprehension of the arrangements adopted in the apparatus, it may be of use to give by way of example a schedule of the treatments to be followed in a given case; the data, which may vary, are naturally the times allowed for each treatment. This case corresponds with that in which the work is carried on slightly below atmospheric pressure.

Seconds.

sure. Time occupied 6th. Standing. Time occupied 210 Total of cycle 600 The apparatus, which forms the subject of this invention allows of-the several opera} tions enumerated above being carried out automatically and being repeated automatically for the necessary length of time.

The aggregate of the apparatus is con-.

trolled by a special clock which opens or closes at definite times the electric circuits governing the several elements included in a' complete plant.-

Referring to the diagram, Fig. 1, 1 is the control clock to be described subsequently, 2 is the cell, 3 is the source of dry air, 5 is the ozonizer, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22,23 and 24 are different servo-motors to which are coupled the electromagnets for opening and closing, the various pipes include the main exhaust pipe 6, the main dry air supply pipes .4 and 16, the pipe 15 connecting the source of dry air with the servo-motor21 for supplying the ozonizer with dry air. v

As shown the following servo-motors are connected to the main exhaust pipe, viz, 19,

20, 21, 22 and 23,' also the ozonizer 5'1s connected at its inlet through the pipes 13 and 14 to the servo-motors 21 and 22, the outlet motor 19 by a pipe 12.

of the ozonizer 5 is connected to the servo- The pipes connected with the cell 2 in cludes the pipes 10, 7 4, 8 and 9; and finally a pipe 11 connected with the exhaust pipe 6 K is a part of the servo-motor 18. The several servo-motors, the mechanism of which will be described subsequently, and

of which there are seven, perform the following functions The function of the servo-motor 19 is to open and close the valve placing the cell in communication with the ozonizer.

The function of the servo-motor 20. is to open and close the valve for supplying the cell with dry air at atmospheric pressure. The function of the servo-motor 21 is to.

open and close the valve for supplying the ozonizer with dry air.

'Ilie function of the servo-motor 22- is to open and close the valve providing for the circulation of airfrom the cell to the ozonizer.

The function-of the servo-motor 23 is to open and close the valve putting the cell into communication with the exhaust.

rows.

switch in or out the air-circulation pump, and the commutator of the ozonizer.

All these servo-motors are electrically controlled in the desired sequence by the clock 1,

i to which are connected the several electrical conductors a, b, 0, d, e and f, which are also connected to the electromagnets of the servomotors as shown diagrammatically.

The control clock is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, l the clock-movement itself is not included 111 i at a constant but adjustable speed through the gearing of different speed drums. A pendulum 26, the length of which can be adjusted, insures the desired speed of rotation through the lever escapement, a brake with l pulley 32 and weight 33 prevents by reaction the distributor wheel from turning backwards at each swing of the pendulum.

This metal distributor Wheel is pierced equidistantly with holes 30 (Fig. 3) in ten of holes (60 in-the example given). The distance between two adjacent holes thus corresponds to a time interval equal to 1/60th of the total time of rotation of the wheel.

res onding holes. The rotation of the wheel rings the pins successively into contact with flexible contacts 31 of beaten silver; these contacts carried on an insulating sup- 5 port have at their other ends a binding screw to which is attached the electric wire from the corresponding electromagnet controlling the order. The return conductor leads to a set of accumulators, then to the body of the distributor Wheel 25 in such way that when a pin touches a contact the circuit is closed and the current will traverse the corresponding electromagnet.

It will be understood that the rotation of the wheel brings the pins thereon successively into contact with the contacts, thus starting up the servo-motors, and operating at the 'desired times the valves, pumps, multiple apparatus, etc.

The cycle can therefore be regulated, firstly by the speed of rotation of the wheel 25, secondly by the dilferent positions of the pins 30', thirdly by the various connections of the contacts to the different electromagnets of the servo-motors.

The servo-motor shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 relates to the electro-pneumatic valves. It comprises a mechanism corresponding to what is called a note in the known so-called Pleyela apparatus, as well as two electromagnets, one for opening, the other for closing subjacent metal valves.

' The so-called note of the Pleyela is shown at 34 and consists of the note proper 35 and i the bellows 36. The metal air valve com- Each row comprises a certain number Metal pins 30' with platinum tips are lodged in corprises a double copper cylinder 37 the smaller of which has an opening 38 and the larger an opening 39. Air can circulate from 38 to 39 through the passage 40 and the holes 41 in the smaller cylinder, then through the inter1or of the larger cylinder, provided that the sharp edged opening 42 of the passage 40 is not blocked by the piston 43 which slides inside the smaller cylinder and is connected to the rod 42'. A spring 43 insures the blocking up. By this means there is no communication possible between 38 and 39.

It will be understood that whencurrent traverses the electromagnet 44, the tongue 45 attached to the armature which is attracted by the magnetization of the core of the electromagnet, opens the hole in the small pipe 45' of the note. As there is always a vacuum at 46 inside the note, a vacuum which is propagated by transfusion into the small pipes 45, atmospheric air rushes into 47, raises the small cylinder 48 integral with the double-shouldered valve 49, whereby this valve is constrained to leave its-seat 50. As soon as the valve 50 quits its seat, its second shoulder blocks the communication with the outer'air. The vacuum is then propagated through this small chamber into the bellows which then closes. In closing the member 51 acts as a lever about the pivot 52, and the outer end operates the piston rod of the obturator by opening it until held by the pawl 53. i

The function of the electromagnet 44' is to release the piston of the obturator.

The starting and stopping of the exhaust pump (not shown) is effected independently of the normal course of the process by a mercury contact device. A mercury manometer, attached to the vacuum reservoir shifts a float provided with a contact which comes into contact with two other adjustable contacts corresponding to fixed heights of the mercury. The first upper contact corresponds to the starting of the exhaust pump. The second bottom contact corresponds to the stopping of the exhaust pump, (shown diagrammatically at 18, Fig. 1).

In the same way when at the second time interval following the closing of the valve 20, vacuum is set up in the cell, the closing of the valve 23 is similarly effected by a mercury contact 10' (Fig. 1) the height of which can be adjusted, a small mercury manometer being connected to the cell. In this way the emptying of the air from the cell sto s when the desired degree of exhaustion has een attained inside the cell.

The operation takes place in the following manner :The wood to be seasoned having been placed in the cell, the pieces being kept apart by chocks, the cell is closed air-tight. The distributor wheel is started up, after the exhaust pump which supplies the whole plant has been started by hand for this first time only, and which subsequently will only operate automatically in response to an electric contact, as above stated. '7 r As soon as the first pin touches the first contact the valves 20 and 23 open. When-the second pin touches-the second contact, the valve 20 closes and. so forth. The various apparatus required for the plant will not be described, since in this first alternative these apparatus are known: they comprise the exhaust pumps, the ozonizcr, the. source of dry air, the electric generators as well as the current electromagnetic devices. In large plants, where the cell will attain large size, the fact that it is subjected to external pressure might lead to certain inconveniences; moreover the working apparatus would also be of considerable size. These inconveniences can be obviated substituting for the above-mentioned cycle another which will now be described. In' this second alternative, the work is done a little above at mospheric pressure; the exhaustions 'corresponding then to decreases of pressure below the normal working pressure, which are naturally very slight, since 1/20th atmosphere is sufiicient for the decrease of pressure. The cycle is as follows Seconds. 1st. Decrease of pressure below the initial working pressure '(21/20th of atmospheric pressure) 2nd. Renewing the air at atmospheric pressure 3rd. Ozonization of the air at atmospheric pressure 4th. Restoration of the working pressure by re-admission of compressed air into the cell (21/20ths of atmospheric pressure) 120 5th. Standing 300 Total of cycle i 600 As will be seen, the total time is the same, but the partial times have changed; for that matter these times are only given by way of example, and, according to the kind and condition of the wood to be treated, they may naturally vary without in any way departing from the principle of the apparatus as aforesaid; it is suflicient to shift the control contacts on the distributor clock.

The plant for putting into operation-the cycle just mentioned is shown diagrammatk cally in Fig. 7, in which B is the cell containing the wood to be treated, it is connected on the one side with a blower V and on the other with a container R in which there is a pressure produced by a pump P. The apparatus for producing ozone is shown 'at O, and is connected on one side with a drying device D, which in turn is connected to asmall compressor C, and on the other side to a gas.

holder G of suitable capacity, the bell of the said gasholder being connected to the cell =Suitable valveswhich are governed as has been described for those in the firstg alter native, control the whole plant and insure the complete automatic yoperation -;of the process. 4 The operation is as follows::l3eSideS.tl1e

governing of the valves, the rise of the -gas holder owing to the pressured-f the ozonized air within it, or the fall of the gasholder owing to the expulsion of the ozonized' air from the "gasholder 'f into the. cell determines between two suit-ably fixed-levels with electric" contacts the starting up or the stopping of the 1 small compressor C and of the ozonizer O, simultaneously. The starting up or stopping of the compressor P is similarly controlled by known means, and outsidethe cycle, between.

two pressure limits. It is to be understood that the capacities of the gasholder and pressure container should be large enough: to per mit of obtaining rapidly and respectively ,within the time desired the fixed content of ozone in the air in the cell and the changes of pressure in the cell B. I I

It may be assumed that the work is done at Paris for example under a workin'g pressure equal to 800 millimetres of mercury. which with the assumed pressure diflerence of 1/20th .of this pressure means 760 millimetres for the working at so-called decrease of pressure. The four valves a. b, c and d are assumed to be closed, the first belongs to the blower pipe. the second puts the cell into communication with the outer air, the third is placed in the pipe which connects thegasholder with the cell, and the last in the pine which connects the pressure container R with up. and the air is renewed in the cell at the normal pressure of 760 millimetres.

3rd. The valve a closes. the blower stops and the valve 0 opens, the ozonization takes place at'the pressure of 760 millimetres.

4th. The valves 0 and I) close and the valve d opens the pressure of 800 millimetres is slowly restored.

5th. The valve (Z closes, and all Valves are therefore closed, standing at a Working pressure of 800 millimetres.

- It will be noticed that'the ozonization takes place at a pressure relatively below the 800 millimetres working pressure, the only difference from the cycle first stated is that the air is renewed after the pressure drop and at the low pressure, viz, 7 60 millimetres referred to the working pressure, which of course is of no importance.

This method of working as previously stated presents considerable advantage for large plants, for not only does it allow of the economic construction of lame cells of cylindrical shape with pressure lnside, but further it requires only apparatus of relatively small size.

The apparatus for producing the ozone will be worked without stopping owin to the gasholder provided, the air being ta en from the atmosphere instead of from the cell.

Claims- 1. Apparatus for seasoning wood and the like comprising a container, an ozone generator in communication therewith, an air dryer in communication with said container and with said ozone generator, exhaust means leading from said container, means for varying the pressure in said container, means for maintaining a circulation of air in said apparatus, valves for controlling said communications, and means for automatically actuating said valves independently of one another and for maintaining them in their open and closed positions for predetermined pe-, riods.

2. Apparatus for seasoning wood and the like comprising a container, an ozone generator in communication therewith, an air drier in communication wit-h said container and with said ozone generator, exhaust means leading from said container, means for varying the pressure in said container, means formaintaining a circulation of air in said apparatus, valves for controlling said communications, andmeans for automatically actuating said valves independently of one another and for maintaining them in their open and closed positions for predetermined periods, said last named means comprising clock mechanism, a control drum operated thereby and having a plurality of contacts, and electromagnetic means for operating said valves and controlled by said contacts.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GUSTAVE LYON. 

